This student applied in the 2019/20 application cycle and therefore the selection process at Sheffield may have changed since then. You should read all the information a University sends you about the selection process to get the most up to date details!
Remember to check out the glossary at the bottom of the page for our explanations of all the jargon we medical students like to use!
More about this student
Gender: Woman
Ethnicity: White British
I went to a comprehensive school that doesn’t regularly send students to medical school.
Our Summary
Course: Standard Undergraduate
In person MMI interview
Admissions Tests: UCAT
Recommended Resources:
UCAT Website
UCAT 1250 Questions Book
YouTube videos
Top tip:
You really don’t need much work experience just need to be give examples and be able to reflect on those. Be aware that it is really hard especially because its so competitive and some have more help than others.
Before I made my application…
When did you decide you wanted to apply for medical school?
First year of college.
How did you choose what medical schools to apply to?
I wanted to stay up north and applied to unis that looked at UCAT scores and GCSEs.
What types of work experience did you do?
GP surgery
Customer service role (voluntary)
Customer service role (paid)
How much work experience did you do?
1 week in GP surgery; 6 months volunteering with a local charity for an hour a week; 1 year and half pot washing
How did you find your work experience opportunities?
Through asking someone I knew to take me on.
During the application process…
How did you prepare for your admissions test?
Lots of practice questions, the UCAT book I used was very helpful. Didn’t use any paid resources!
What resources did you use?
1250 questions for UCAT – Sheffield recommended it on their open day.
Used questions available on UCAT website.
Watched YouTube videos
What type of interview did you do?
MMI: Multiple Mini Interview. This type of interview usually includes several short interviews or ‘stations’ which may involve different types of questions and scenarios. This is different compared to a panel interview, which may cover the same scenarios/types of questions but be a more ‘traditional’ sit-down interview.
How did you prepare for your interview?
Sheffield have out the questions so I just researched and came up with answers based off that.
What happened in your interview?
Asked questions about the medical course in Sheffield, played a problem solving game, there was a question about professionalism.
Glossary
Books: Don’t worry if you’ve not been able to find this particular book or afford to pay for it. You might be able to find secondhand copies online which are usually much cheaper, or at your local library (sometimes, libraries will order in books that you’ve requested, so check out this as a possibility too!). Bear in mind that some books may become out of date, so make sure you check when they were published, and if any changes to the relevant admissions tests/interviews have been made since then.
Open Days: Every year, universities run ‘Open Days’ where prospective applicants can come and visit the university and meet current students and academics. They are a great opportunity to check out the campus, teaching facilities, and local area, and might help you decide where you’d like to apply to study at.
YouTube: There are many current and recent medical students who create videos on YouTube about their experience and advice about applying. Remember that their experience is personal and individual, and may not reflect yours. They might provide some useful advice but remember that they might be advertising paid for services. Take their advice as part of a more holistic approach alongside moderated advice such as ours, and official advice from universities and test providers.
